Engine starting mechanism



R. M. -NARDoNE ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 2, 1937 March 10,` 1942.A

` Patented Mar. l0, Y

. ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Romeo M.` Nardone, East Orange, N. I., assigner,

by mesne assignments, to BendixAvlation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Original applications ctober 2, 1937, Serial No. 167,054, and February 15, 1939, Serial No. 256,576, the latter issued as A Patent4 No.A 2,225,790, December 24, 1940. Divided and this application June 12, 1940, Serial No. 340,188

2 Claims. This invention relates to engine starters adapted for utilizing fluid pressureas from air precommechanism embodying the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

' In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing certain parts of the assembly of Fig.- 1, but ony a slightly larger scale; and b Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the valve assem- With reference to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. l, the piston actuated unit is contained within a sectional housing including cylindrical parts I1 and I0, the latter having Va flange I2 by which it is secured to the engine crankcase I3 as by bolts I4, the flange being conveniently of a size standardized for aircraft engine starters. The engine crankshaft; orother drive shaft (not shown) is provided with a clutchelement II engageable by the piston actuated clutch-element I5 as will belater more fully described. I

Cylinder I1 has a head end I8 and a crank end 20, the latter being shown as an integral part of a splined tube ZI. Slidably fitted within the cylinder I1 is a piston 23 movable with a hollow internally and helically grooved screw 24 which is externally spllned as at 25, to cooperate with' the internally splined tube 2 I, a free sliding action being facilitated by provision of balls 21. A second screw 22 is drivably connected with the screw 24 by helical grooves or threads 29 and 30 which permit the axial travel of the piston 23 but cause rotation of the screw 22 because of friction reducing balls 36 inserted in the helical grooves 29 and 30. A spring 31 has one end resting against the closure plate of the cylinder I1, and its forward with the piston 23. Piston rings 39 insure against the loss of pressure as the piston moves forward, and also yieldably oppose rotation of the piston, even though twisting of spring 31 should occasionally cause ring v38 to rotate to Isome extent (the said ring 38 having a running fit about screw 24).

Due to the bolted split clamp connection 4I between the cylinder I1 and the body flange I6, the former may be quickly detached for removing any fouling that may occur where combustibleV cartridges are used as the source of fluid pressure to move the'p'iston 23.

By reason of the action of spring-pressed balls ,58 upon recess 59in sleeve` 22, th'e initial axial movement of the piston 23 will be transmitted to said sleeve 22, andthe resultant axial thrust will be yieldably imparted to clutch jaw I5 through a compressible spring 62 mounted on a rod 63 havingat its outer end a nut 64 permitting adjustment of the action of spring 52. Upon resistance to axial travel (asvby collision of the tooth` corners) spring 62 will permit the continued advance of sleeve 22 under the urge of the balls 58 thereupon. Meanwhile the action of the threads 29, 30 will produce suflicient rotation of sleeve 22 and hence of clutch jaw I5, splined thereto, to relieve the condition of corner tooth contact, whereupon spring 62 becomes effective to complete the meshing (engaging) action. During this operation toroidal spring 1I exerts a radially directed pressure, through leather sealing gasket 12, upon the jaw I5, producing a friction which prevents too rapid rotation of the member I5prior to complete meshing, and hence tends to accelerate complete meshing, as well as to insure a tight sealing of th'e unit against seepage of oil from the engine crankcase along the surface of the jaw I5, and into the starting apparatus. An anti-friction thrustbearing v32 is preferably interposed between a flanged skirt or rim 34 on rear end of spacer 34a and an inwardly extending circular rim 33 of the cylindrical part I0. The inwardly extending rim 34h on the forward end of spacer 34a takes the thrust as jaw.l5 rides into mesh with engine member I I.

For protection of the starter against backfire effects the invention includes the concept of locking the starter assembly against reverse rotation while jaws I5 and II are inter-engaged. As shown, ,the locking action involves teeth 'I3 (shown best in Fig. 2) on, the periphery of the circular flange or shoulder 14 located slightly to the rear of splines 10 of the sleeve 22. The lockopposite end abuts the thrust ring 23 which moves 55 ing action further involves teeth 16 cut internally of spacer 34a, adjacent the forward rim 34h thereof, and spaced to correspond to the spacing of teeth 13; both sets of teeth (13 and 16) [being chamfered at their, adjacent ends to facilitate their inter-engagement as sleeve 22 moves forward at the beginning of the cranking operation.

The locking action additionally involves -a set of rollers 11 disposed about the periphery of rim`34 -of spacer 34a, and adapted to roll freely upon the l inner surface of housing i .during the normal cranking operation, but acting as locking elements to ,prevent rotation in the opposite directionin the event of a reverse rotational' impulse,

such as may be caused by a back-lire," that is, -a premature explosion in onerfof the cylinders of the engine being started. To produce such unldirectional action the rim `34 of spacer 34a is notched in the manner of the inner race of a ,"conventional uni-directional roller clutch (see Fig. 3 of my Patent No. 2,003,456) and the rollers 11, with or without spring biasing means, are inserted in such notches, andretained in {properly spaced relationship by thev cage\18.'

lWith the arrangement of vparts as 'just described, it will be apparent'that in the event of a f back-nre with parts l5 and'v Il engaged, the

rollers 11 will hold spacer 34a from rotating in a direction opposite to the normal cranking direction, andthe inter-engaging teeth 13, 16 will concurrently act to prevent reverse rotation of sleeve 22 and clutch element I5. Thus both the engine and starter will b e held against a reversal of ro'- tation so long as the said two units are coupled in cranking relationship, wherefore rotation in the forward (cranking) direction will be resumed under the continuing impetus of the incoming pressure iiuid upon piston 23.1 During such con` tinued cranking operation the rollersA 11 again permit free over-running of spacer 34a.

A fter the engine becomes suiiiciently self-operative toV accelerate engine member Il'to a-speed in excess of that of thestarter, the member |5-is cammed rearwardly, and the concurrent or subsequent return stroke' of piston 23 (under the impetus of the now re-exp'anding spring 31, theA action of which ismore fully described hereinafter) carries along the members 24, '22,- B3, $4 and l5 therewith, whereupon the teeth 113 are freed from the teeth 16, and the driven screw 22 is `thus made free to rotate in the reverse direc-- tionunder the motion translating action of the backwardly moving driving screw 24.

The present invention valso includes improved means for automatically controlling'the exhaust of the iluid pressure from the cylinder upon com- .pletion of each operation. This exhaust control Y may be effected by providing an exhaust valve 42 adapted `to cooperate with an exhaust port .43

conveniently formed in the housing 44, and communicating with an exhaust connection (not shown) leading to-any desired point'. In the case of an airplane, for example, this exhaust con- I nection will lead to a point exteriorly of the fuselage. The valve 42' is carried by a stem 46 which is `of such a length thatl with the piston in theposition indicated in Figure 1, a spring 419 willA a hollow'cylindrical valve element normally closing said port, thecircular wall of said-port acting. to limitmovement of said' valve in one direction,

bear against an enlarged head 52 on the stem 46 Ato hold valve 42 closed, until such time asiiuid under pressure is admitted to act upon the head 'portion of the valve-42, and thereby assist the spring' 49.in maintaining the said-exhaust valve 42 closed; but as the piston nearly reaches the ".endof its forward movement, a collar 5l extend` ing inwardly Vof piston 23 and surroundingthe stem 46 will be brought into engagement with the head 52, and will be eiective to unseat the exhaust valve 42. vThe exhaust valve having been ,unseated in the manner described. the fingered stroke, and the exhaust valve having been opened.' the piston will be urged o n its return strokeby the coil spring 31. Duringv this return movement,

the exhaust valve being held open, the cylinder will be eiectively scavenged. Due tothe action of thecateh 48 the'valve will remain'- openuntil such time as the piston collar- 53 is brought to bearagainst the 'valve stem 41ior again seating the valve. This insures closingmovement o! the. valve at the time the piston has substantially completed its return movement, the closing being initiated and assisted by theaction of the spring means 49 above described.l There is' thus projvided v.automatically controlled exhaust means, `g

which exhaust means is of such construction as to remain open during the major portion ofthe return stroke ofthe piston'so as to aid attainment of substantially complete scavenging;

moreover, the streamlining of the'valve surface', as indicated at 55 (Fig. 3) tends to accelerate the exhaust ilow and th`us provides an added assurance of complete scavenging.

This application is a division of my application No. 256,576, filed February l5, 1939, also'of my application No. 167,054, iiledv October2, 193'1.

Application No. 256,576. matured as Patent No..

2,225,790 on December 24, 1940.

1. In combination with a iiuid receivingv cylinder, a cylinder head secured to the cylinder, and means in said cylinder head for controlling exhaust of fluid from said cylinder, said means;

comprising a 'circular' exhaust port in said head,

and meansfor limiting movement of said valve in the opposite direction, said last-named means comprising a cylindricalelement threaded into said cylinder head and having a plurality of resilient fingers extending into the bore of said valve element and engaging said bore ata plu'- r'ality of equallyv spaced points throughoutthe periphery 'of said bore.

. i 2. I n combination with a iluid receiving cylin- ,I der, acylinder head secured to the cylinder, and

means in said cylinder head vfor 'controllingex-4 haust of iiuid from said cylinder, said means comprising'a circular exhaust portzin said head,

- a hollow cylindrical valve element normally clos- .ing said port, means to limit movement of said valve in-one direction, and means for limiting movement of said valve in the opposite direction, said last-named means comprisinga cylindrical element threaded into said J cylinder head and'- having a plurality of resilient fingers extending in to the bore of said valve element and engaging said bore at equally spaced points throughout the periphery of said bore.

aoMEo M. NARDONE. 

